LOA
by Howlinchickhowl
Summary: NOT another BOP fic! Ok essentially it is, but it's REALLY not ok?


Not another Burden of proof fic-by me! (IT's really not you know.)  
  
  
  
He looked from the paper to her as she stood in the doorway. "What is this?" He asked her, motioning to the paper he held in his left hand. She shrugged before answering. "A request for a leave of absence. 6 months, a year maybe." She walked further into the room until she stood in front of his desk. "Why." He looked, and sounded, completely baffled. Why the hell would she want to leave? "I was thinking of looking into the federal side of things for a while." He face was solemn now. He smiled a satisfied little smile. "We have the second best crime lab in the country." He told matter of factly, as if this was all that was needed to change her mind. "I need a different working environment. One with respect." This statement provoked a face of confusion. "Everyone here respects you." "You don't." He smiled and kind of, half rolled his eyes. "Is this about the hamburger thing?" Anger swelled in her face, and she looked like she was fit to burst. "No. Grissom this is not about "That Hamburger Thing" how can you boil down everything I've said into one tiny little." She broke off. Angry still. "Look, if you don't sign my leave, I'm gonna have to quit." And with that she stalked off towards the door. "Sara." She turned and waited for him to speak. "The lab needs you." He seemed satisfied with that. She smiled. A bitter smile, with tears forming in her eyes as she did so. "Great." And then she really did walk out.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 1 Year Later. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Wow. My steak is really good! Cath, what do you think they put in that?" Nick held out a forkful of the meat to her. "How should I know?" The blonde waved the stuff away. "You're the mom." He shrugged. "And this means I'm suddenly a gourmet chef how?" He shrugged again. "Sweety, my daughter eats spaghettios. I can cook a roast dinner, and maybe lasagna. That is it." "Okay. Didn't mean to offend or anything." Grissom smiled at them. This Friday morning breakfast had become a regular thing. They'd finish shift, and come to the restaurant and just hang out for a couple of hours before they all got tired. Sometimes even Brass came. Grissom didn't like to admit it out loud, but he enjoyed it. He liked these people, and they were better company than his tarantula sometimes. When he felt like talking. Brass had joined them today; he was munching away next to Warrick as he thought.  
  
Across the room, a tall woman walked towards them. Unnoticed. She wore a low cut black sleeveless top, and a knee-length green skirt. Her feet were donned with sandals with a heel. She approached the table and stood behind Catherine, who just happened to be opposite to Grissom. "Hey guys." She announced herself as Grissom looked up to her face. Everyone turned to see her, and then there were a chorus of 'Hey Sara" s everyone, except for Grissom greeted her. He merely looked around at the others on the table as if they were insane. "Hey Sara? You guys knew she was back?"  
  
For a minute no one looked at him. He turned from one to the other. "Lindsey had a birthday, I, um, had some friends over, one of them knows Sara, I." Catherine looked back at her food. Grissom moved his attention to Nick. "Hey uh, you know, Friday night movies attract a lot of different people you know. He he." Now Brass. "Well, the uh Sea Bass here is really great." Then Greg. "Hey, I can't help it if I run into an old friend in the park can I?" And lastly to Warrick. Warrick shrugged. "She called me."  
  
All this time Sara had kept her eyes on Grissom, an amused smile on her face. She kept it as he looked back at her. "Wanna take a walk?" She asked him. He nodded and got rid of his napkin. Laid a couple of bills on the table and followed her out.  
  
  
  
They made their way from the restaurant to her apartment slowly. She didn't walk these days, rather strolled. They made small talk for a while. "You're tanned." "Greece'll do that to ya." "Greece?" He was surprised. She nodded. "I went when I was seventeen. Stayed for a year, with this wonderful family. They're so sweet. Oh God, the food Grissom. It's like nothing you've ever tasted. And in the evening if you walk down along the harbor as the sun sets, there's the most amazing breeze off of the sea. It's sweet." She smiled as she described her home of the past year. She closed her eyes as they walked, letting the sun lie on her face. "So why'd you come back?" He wasn't being rude. Just inquisitive. She thought for a moment. Then smiled as thought embarrassed. "I missed Vegas." She mumbled, then hung her head in shame. "You went all the way to Europe and ended up missing Vegas?" He laughed. "Well nothing ever happens in Europe. I got bored."  
  
They reached her building. She walked halfway up the stairs and then turned around to find him still at the bottom. "What?" "How come I was the last to find out you were home?" She walked back down again. "I was procrastinating. We.didn't part well, which, by the way was your fault. I just, wanted to put it off for as long as I could." "How was it my fault? Do you think I wanted you to leave?" Her face turned sad. "I think you didn't stop me." He opened his mouth to say something. But she stopped him. "Let's not do this ok? I don't want to fight with you." He nodded, and then they were both silent for a minute.  
  
"So. Did the lab miss me?" He smiled and nodded. "How much?" "A lot." "Does that mean I have my old job back?" "Of course." "Good. Coz," She leaned towards him and whispered in his ear, "I missed the lab too." Then she smiled and went inside. Leaving the door open for him to follow.  
  
Fine.  
  
Thoughts? Anyone? Even an, OH no! Not another burden of proof fic! Good God what is wrong with people! would be nice. 


End file.
